Mother of N.L. girl taken by father to Egypt granted custody but says search continues
CBC
A woman whose five-year-old daughter was taken by her father from Newfoundland to his home country of Egypt says she now has legal custody of her child — but finding her has been difficult.
Bouchra Marbouhi says she was granted custody of her daughter in late December after travelling to the city of Alexandria and making an application in court.
On Dec. 23, an Egyptian court determined that the child's "best interests are undoubtedly served by her mother" and ordered the child returned to Marbouhi immediately.
However, when police and Marbouhi's lawyer went to get the girl this month, she said her estranged husband Ahmed ElGammal fled.
"He is in hiding. Now his family is telling me that he's still hiding and they don't know where [he is]," Marbouhi said in a recent interview from Alexandria.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary issued an arrest warrant for ElGammal, 36, in late October on charges of abduction in contravention of a custody or parenting order. The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador’s family division ordered last spring that the girl not be removed from the St. John's metro area.
Marbouhi has not seen her daughter — who CBC News is not identifying at this time — since the girl left with her father for a sleepover, on Sept. 27, 2025. The case exposed vulnerablities in the system which allowed ElGammal to leave Canada in contrary to a court order.
Shady Abdellatif, an Egypt-based lawyer who specializes in international abduction cases, has taken on Marbouhi's case.
Abdellatif believes ElGammal was tipped off before he and police went to the ElGammal family home, which allowed the father and daughter to leave before police got there.
By law, Abdellatif says, after three unsuccessful attempts at getting the girl back, a criminal case can be launched against ElGammal and his mother.
"When we get a criminal decision against them, they must deal with us and give us [Marbouchi's daughter]," Abdellatif said.
Abdellatif said it would be helpful in finding the father and daughter if Egyptian Interpol officials receive a red notice from Canadian Interpol officials. To date, Abdellatif said he doesn't believe that has happened.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary confirmed to CBC News in November that it applied for a red notice with Interpol for ElGammal.
A red notice is a request for law enforcement "to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. "
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